Amreli district police has initiated proceedings to bring back New Zealand-based non-Resident Gujarati (NRG) Shailesh Chandulal Popat who married Komal Ganatra in April 2008 and deserted her within 15 days.

The police have moved for repatriation of Popat on an FIR filed by Komal on February 17 this year.

Komal,a primary school teacher,was among 11 candidates from Gujarat who cleared UPSCs civil services examination in May this year and is awaiting her posting.

Speaking to the Indian Express over phone from Amreli,police sub-inspector N A Savanya of the Amreli Mahila Police Station,who is investigating the case,said: I am preparing the documents to trace Popat with the help of Interpol and bring him back to Gujarat for interrogation.

She said it was taking time to get an Interpol notice issued against Popat because she was not conversant with the English language.

I am getting things done with the help of my colleagues in the Amreli police, she said.

Savanya said she had also seized the passports of four of the eight persons named in the FIR,including Dr Vijay Popat,elder brother of Shailesh Popat. Dr Vijay was an associate professor at the Jamnagar Medical college and was recently transferred to Patan.

Surprisingly,this was the second marriage of Shailesh. He had earlier married one Namrata Jaswani in 2004,but divorced her over some dispute within a fortnight.

I was deserted by Shailesh Popat and thrown out of the house in the same way as Komal, Namrata told told this reporter over phone. She said she did not initiate any police case and got remarried after taking divorce.

In her FIR,Komal has alleged she was assaulted by her in-laws and thrown out of their Rajkot house within three months of the marriage for not bringing enough dowry. She said she was also not informed about Shailesh being a divorcee.

She alleged she was also not allowed to bring the clothings and valubales her parents had given her at the time of marriage. I was thrown out of the house in the clothes that I was wearing and not allowed to take anything else with me, she has alleged in the FIR.

She said she had no contact with her husband ever since he left for New Zealand as he did not give his phone number or residence or office address.

Komal said she had a very bitter experience with the police as well. Initially,the police had refused to take my FIR. They took my FIR only after the intervention of former director general of police (DGP) Chitranjan Singh, she said.

Yet,the police have not included my charges pertaining to attempt on my life, she said.

Komal has also now sought transfer of the case from Savanya to someone else in the police for a proper probe. It is because of Savanya that the accused managed to get anticipatory bail, she alleged.

Savanya,however,denied Komals allegations.

Amreli Superintendent of Police Shobha Bhutada said, We are fully cooperating with Komal to get her justice.

Meanwhile,Dr Vijay Popat refuted the allegations levelled by Komal.

Shailesh and Komal were in constant touch with each other for about one-and-a-half years of the marriage. My brother also tried to solve the issue either through divorce or some compromise by involving the community elders,but Komal did not agree, Dr Popat said.

He said Shailesh was coming in the next 15 days to resolve the issue. We will move the court against Komal, he said. Dr Popat also confirmed that Shailesh had married Namrata but divorced her later over some dispute.